Jurgen Klopp insists he will not ‘cry’ if Liverpool fail to sign a centre-back this month.
Midfielders Fabinho and Jordan Henderson have been used as an auxiliary defensive pairing since Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez were both sidelined.
The Premier League champions are yet to make moves in the January transfer window to alleviate the current deficiencies in their backline.
But Klopp is adamant that he will seek excuses if the Reds are unable to source a centre-back solution before the market closes on February 1.
“I am not a five-year-old kid any more and if I don’t get what I want I start crying,” said the Liverpool manager.
“Most of the time in my life I didn’t get what I want, to be honest, so we are all pretty much used to that.
“I am responsible for a big part of this football club but there are people who are responsible for the whole thing and I cannot make their decision.
“I know they are with us and I know they want to support us and they do.
“What we have to do is improve the football in the decisive areas with this squad.
“That’s my job, and not sitting here and being disappointed or frustrated with some decisions. I am not.
“Of course, we know what we would do in an ideal world but the world is not ideal and not only for us. So we have to deal with the situation.”
He added: “Now we talk about a centre-half. Yes, it would help: 100%.
“Would we score more goals with a centre half? I am not sure. Would it give us a little bit more stability in specific moments? Yes, probably.
“But we don’t go and say, ‘If we don’t get this or that, then we cannot perform.’ It would sound like an excuse, and the last thing we are looking for is that.”